


Summer Daze

by orphan_account



Series: Wake Up Sunshine [2]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Betty Cooper & Toni Topaz Friendship, Established Relationship, F/M, FP Jones II tries, Fluff, Hurt Jughead Jones, Jason Blossom's Death, Light Angst, Light Hurt/Comfort, Mentioned Southside Serpents Gang, Pop Tate's Chocklit Shoppe, Pre-Canon, Protective Betty Cooper, Protective FP Jones II, Protective Jughead Jones, Soft Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Southside Serpent Jughead Jones, Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:46:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26272828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The end of school and the start of summer always seem to hold their surprises but some are more welcome than others such as late nights with the person you adore in secret or a trip to the old swimming hole. Most of the time, though, they are less than pleasant involving brass knuckles or even a sudden gunshot. For Betty and Jughead, this summer could well be a mixture of both good and bad.
Relationships: Archie Andrews & Betty Cooper, Betty Cooper & Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, FP Jones II & Jughead Jones, Fangs Fogarty & Jughead Jones & Sweet Pea & Toni Topaz, Joaquin DeSantos & Jughead Jones, Jughead Jones & Southside Serpents Gang
Series: Wake Up Sunshine [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1901419
Comments: 11
Kudos: 35





	1. After Dark And After Hours

_'When she remembered a summer, it would be this one._

_When she remembered a love, it would be his.'_

_'The last day of school is hell, always will be and always has been, especially the final minutes of captivity before you're allowed to escape for the summer. You watch the clock with growing apprehension or glance at the person you want to spend the summer with or who you'd like to avoid. Or maybe, say if you're the Serpent Prince, you're desperate to enjoy the last few days you have with the Girl Next Door before she flies off for her internship in New York. It doesn't really matter who you are; you pray for the clock to finally hit three o'clock so you can relax for the first time since Christmas.'_

For the best part of the past hour, Betty had desperately tried to hang onto every word that had come out of Dr Phlym's mouth, scribbling down any notes she could, but it was all in vain. The laboratory was simply too hot to concentrate, even with all the windows open and the fan funnelling fresh air at them. The general buzz of her classmates desperate to leave and the intense summer heat had left her at a loss of what to do. Every part of her was telling her to keep listening to the monotone drone of her teacher. But even her natural Cooper determination couldn't get her to write another word.

Sighing, she leaned back against the hard plastic and set down the pen in her hand, knowing that no more notes would be formulated today. Betty's hands swept upwards, brushing over her hair and pulling gently at her ponytail, forcing herself to stay somewhat attentive, even if her mind wanted to stray elsewhere. Every cell in her body had been begging her to just glance back at the student behind her. She was surprised she'd lasted this long, but even Betty Cooper, despite what her mother would have the world believe, was human and with her resolution fading, she snuck a glance behind her.

That was a mistake.

Jughead Jones was sprawled out across his chair, his curls haphazardly escaping his crown-shaped beanie and his muscular arms on full display. His dark eyes were focused on the ceiling, which even Betty would concede was probably more interesting than this lecture. Jughead's suspenders hung lifelessly around his chair, only moving when his leg started to bounce out of pure boredom. His dark red shirt had ridden up ever so slightly, displaying the smooth planes of his stomach and the sharp angle of the 'v' at his hips, which disappeared beneath his dark jeans.

Betty swallowed heavily. She'd caught glimpses of her boyfriend's torso before when they were at their booth at Pop's, but never had she stared at it so unashamedly. She'd never had the chance to since Jughead had always moved away and she'd always chastised herself for staring. But this time, she couldn't tear her eyes away from him, even though she knew that she should turn back around and pretend to be somewhat interested in the lecture. By this point, that was already impossible for her.

Jughead shifted in his seat, sensing the weight of her gaze upon him. Dark aquamarine eyes met her transfixed stare and a slow smirk stretched across his lips. Sitting up straighter, Jughead's smirk only increased at the deep scarlet blush Betty could feel was spreading across her cheeks. Keeping his gaze locked with hers, Jughead winked. Betty felt as though her entire being was aflame, and turned away, hearing the soft chuckle leaving his lips.

Even with her back to him, Betty could feel Jughead's gaze upon her, boring into her very soul and part of her desperately wanted to turn back to him. Thankfully, she was saved from having to make that decision by Archie Andrews leaning across their shared desk and asking: "Are you okay, Betty? You've gone red."

Grateful for the distraction, betty shook her head and smiled: "I'm fine, Arch, just a little warm." 

Shrugging, Archie leant back beside her, his eyes drifting to the board and waiting for Dr Phylum to turn his back again before he asked: "Are you coming to Pop's with Kev and the football team?"

"I can't, Arch, I made plans to get everything sorted before I go off for my internship, I'm sorry", Betty said, her voice little more than a whisper.

"That's fine, Betty, but promise me we'll have a milkshake together before you go", Archie responded, grinning.

"I promise", Betty mumbled, trying not to think of the real reason she couldn't go to Pop's.

Beneath her starched top, her swimming costume sat reminding her of what awaited her as soon as she left the confines of the stuffy classroom and more importantly, who she'd get to spend that time with if she managed to get through the lesson. Throwing a look over her shoulder, Betty caught Jughead staring, only this time it wasn't at her. The glower and scowl were directed firmly at the back of Archie's head. It was the first time she'd caught Jughead glaring at the Bulldog, and she doubted it would be the last time.

A soft sigh left her lips, pulling Jughead out of his thoughts and fury and reminding him of the girl staring at him. Betty couldn't help but smile when his eyes automatically softened at the sight of her. That smile only broadened when Jughead returned it with his loop-sided grin. She would have stayed there staring forever had it not been the sound of the school bell pealing through Riverdale high.

The sound of thirty chairs scraping the floor and the stomping of feet hit Betty's ears before she could even register that the school day was over. Archie had long since sidled past her by the time she had reached her feet. Even Jughead was on his feet heading to the door. A crowd of Bulldogs and River Vixens fought to get out first, creating the perfect moment for Jughead to slip into the aisle next to her and to grab her hand.

Soft lips met Betty's ear, and Jughead whispered: "Meet me behind the school in ten minutes."

With a wink and a smirk, the Serpent slithered away, straightening his back and heading to the door. The entire class parted to let him pass, not wanting to invoke his ire. He didn't pause at the door, and Betty knew that Jughead was more than confident that she'd come to meet him.

Shaking out of her thought, Betty felt something heavy in her palm and gently opened her fingers to find a dark silver ring staring up at her. Jughead's insurance policy. She'd been gifted the ring many times before, whenever Jughead didn't have time to tell her that he wanted to meet up. She had grown used to the sight of the curled up Serpent surrounding the dark onyx stone, and Betty couldn't resist slipping it on before she finally grabbed her bag and headed to the door.

The crowds outside the classroom were worse than inside. Every single student was pushing and shoving each other, desperate to escape the confines of the corridor. Within seconds of being outside of the classroom, Betty found herself pressed against the wall by the crowd. She had no choice to but to move and was swept along with them. A tidal wave of students forced their way out of the front door and tossed Betty aside towards the far side of the brick building the second there wasn't a wall to keep her within the safety of the ongoing march.

Betty took several deep breaths, fighting to keep oxygen circulating around her body before she moved again. The crowd had long forgotten her, and not a single student turned their back to look over at her. Grinning at the idea of freedom, Betty dove under the barrier by the stairs and headed around the back of Riverdale High. Dry grass crunched beneath her feet, and the blazing sun beat overhead, threatening all below with sunstroke if they stayed out here for too long. Hugging the shadows, Betty shielded her eyes from the brilliant sunlight and stayed along the path closest to the building, away from all other students. It didn't take too long to reach her destination.

Shrouded in the shade, Jughead was leant against the wall, a cigarette balanced between two fingers. Betty couldn't help but be transfixed by the sight before her. The Serpent had his eyes closed, allowing Betty to stare for as long as she wished, watching him take a long drag of the cigarette and exhaling a long cloud of smoke. His hand came to rest by his side, and a long sigh left his lips.

"Bad day?" Betty asked

Snapping his eyes open, Jughead turned his head to the side and smiled softly, taking another drag and blowing the smoke away from Betty. Closing his eyes once more, he murmured: "You could say that."

Two more drags followed before Jughead was finally finished with the cigarette. His final exhale took longer, it always did, holding onto the nicotine ridden smoke for as long as possible before he finally let go. In one swift moment, he dropped the butt and stomped on, turning back to his girlfriend, a tender smile on his lips.

"Well, it's over now." Betty assured him, opening her arms for him and added: "come here?" 

Jughead didn't need any more encouragement. Within a second, he had enfolded Betty in his arms, the smell of cigarette smoke and ink flooding her senses. Betty allowed her eyes to flutter closed and for a long moment, letting the familiar smell rush over her. His strong arms kept her safe, pulling her body flush against his and he buried his head into her neck, nuzzling his nose over the sensitive, exposed skin. Betty shivered involuntarily against him before tilting her head up. Above her, Jughead pulled away slightly, his eyes meeting hers, and Betty whispered: "Take me far away from here, please."

"Gladly." 

Pulling away, Jughead skimmed his lips over her forehead before straightening up and removing his beanie. The raven curls released tumbled everywhere but were tamed by a single run through before the grey crown was carefully tucked into his back pocket. He quickly grabbed Betty's backpack and his own messenger bag, moving to the bike and fixing them to the back, something she'd seen him do a thousand times before. His slender finger made quick work of tying the bags to the metal rails at the back before moving to unfasten the two helmets clipped around handlebars.

With ease, he slipped his dark grey helmet onto his head before handing the black one to Betty with a smile. Her fingers naturally traced the ring of flowers that had been carved into the sides. She couldn't help but smile at the snake nestled between the roses, but she didn't dwell on it for long, clipping the helmet around her chin and following Jughead to the bike. He grinned up at her, relaxing against her when she sat down and guided her arms around his waist before kicking the stand away and darting off down the back path.

The ground was uneven at first, and Betty clung to him, burying her head into his shoulder. Every bump sent her jolting against him, but Jughead barely moved, focusing solely on the ground, guiding the bike to the much more even tarmac of the road. They had touched the dark grey surface for less than a second before Jughead revved the engine and guided them down the main road. The wind rushed past them, a welcome breeze in the relentless heat and the trees bowed ever so slightly as they soared past. All around them houses blurred together, and the people became little more than coloured smudges they passed. It didn't take long to reach their destination, it never did when Jughead was driving, and soon the pair found themselves riding over the old bridge by Sweetwater Swimming Hole. Once more the bike was jolted along by the thick undergrowth, but when Jughead kicked the stand into place, it stayed put.

Betty's legs shook for a few moments when she dismounted, and her hands shook while she unclipped the helmet. Placing them beside Jughead's things, she glanced up at her boyfriend, who sighed softly and smiled. "We can leave our stuff here. It'll be fine." 

Nodding in agreement, Betty had barely taken a step when an arm snaked around her waist and pulled her back towards his chest. Both of her hands came to rest on his chest, and her lips parted. A single word had yet to leave Betty's lips before Jughead's had claimed hers. His mouth was hot and heavy against hers, demanding and fierce. His teeth nipped at her lower lip before sucking at the tender flesh there. Betty couldn't help but mewl into his mouth, her hands fisting around his shirt and pulling him closer to her. His tongue swept through her mouth, exploring and mapping out every detail of her. Jughead's soft growls matched Betty's quiet mewls.

Pulling away and gasping for breath, Jughead rested his forehead against Betty's and mumbled: "Fuck, I've wanted to do that all day."

Betty's cheeks flushed scarlet, heat rising through them and she dared to look up at Jughead, only to find his usually bright eyes clouded with lust. Smiling up at him, Betty whispered: "I bet you have, Juggie." Jughead pulled her closer to him, growling slightly and Betty just managed to gasp: "me too," before he kissed her again.

This time he was softer, tender and gentle. The passion and desire behind the last kiss had by no means faded, but instead of the hunger driving his actions, Jughead allowed his adoration to control his movements. Betty's hands trailed upwards, sinking into Jughead's silky locks and her fingers twisted themselves around his curls. Jughead's right hand ran up her back from where it had rested on her hip to cup her cheek gently. Every unspoken feeling and repressed emotion was expressed in the tender movements of their lips against the other, and by the time they pulled away, both were smiling.

Pulling away, Betty took Jughead's hand and guided him down the bank towards the reason they'd come to that bridge. The smooth glassy surface of the swimming hole was begging to be jumped in, and the heat from the burning sun was enough to make anyone strip down and dive in. Turning away from one another, the pair hastily pulled off their shirts and jeans, kicking away their shoes and jumping in with a splash.

Betty's soft pink costume darkened the second she touched the water, and her eyes slammed shut, letting her adjust to being in the dark depths of the little pool. Pushing her way to the surface, Betty gasped for breath and smiled up at the sky, eternally grateful for the soothing water around her. Blinking rapidly, Bety spun round and round, her eyebrows furrowing, searching for a sign of Jughead. He wasn't at the shore, and around her, there was no indication of him nearby. Just as she was about to call out for him, Betty felt something brush against her back. Spinning around, Betty was only left more confused.

"Juggie?"

All of a sudden, two arms wound their way around her waist, pulling her back at his tort torso. Betty could feel every dip and curve of muscle, though her mind was far more distracted by the teeth nibbling her neck, drawing out a whimper from her lips. At the sound, Jughead moved his lips to her ear, his breath brushing against it, and he whispered: "got you, Coop."

Giggling, Betty twisted in his arms, looping her arms around his neck and staring at him, allowing her jade eyes to drift across him. They moved from the defined muscles of his chest to the flush on his face to the double-headed Serpent on his bicep that wore two silver crowns. When they had finished roaming his exposed skin, Betty met Jughead's gaze and smirked: "please we both know you're the one wrapped around my little finger and not the other way round, Jones."

"No place I'd rather be more." Jughead smiled, tenderly kissing her lips then forehead.

Settling into his arms, Betty didn't feel Jughead move until it was too late. Within seconds she was once more submerged in water with the Serpent retreating far away, his laughter echoing around the clearing. Frozen, all Betty could do was blink at Jughead, attempting to clear the water from her gaze. Her lips parted, forming a perfect 'oh' before she glowered over at the laughing boy halfway across the pool.

"You'll pay for that, Jughead Jones", Betty promised.

"Make me, Elizabeth." Jughead taunted, winking.

"You're in for it now, Forsythe", Betty swore, quickly making her way over to him.

Jughead's eyes widened comically at the speed at which she gained on him, but by the time the waves she sent his way arrived, he was more than prepared to counter them. Splashes and laughter rang out through the clearing, echoing around them. Both Betty and Jughead dove this way and that, trying to avoid swallowing the water coming their way. Tidal waves and tsunamis were sent from either side with neither quite managing to back the other into a corner, not that Sweetwater Swimming Hole had any corners.

Every time Betty dove underwater, Jughead copied her actions, swimming alongside of her and moving to grab her until she kicked away, pushing herself out of his grasp. Each time Jughead moved to send a wave her way, Betty flung her arms into the water, directing it back at him with a vengeance. No matter how much water hit them, neither could stop giggling and laughing at one another, not even when Jughead finally ducked under the waves and grabbed Betty's waist once more, bringing her against his chest and grinning down at her.

"I won", Jughead smirked, watching Betty pout up at him. Ducking his head down, Jughead pulled her up and kissed her softly. Instinctively, Betty's legs wound their way around his hips, letting him support her as she came to hover above his head. Gentle, cautious mouths moved together, pulling away with one another and grazing each other as Jughead mumbled: "I'm going to miss you, Betts, so much."

"I'll miss you too, Juggie", Betty whispered, clutching onto him tightly. Jughead set her down slowly, his lips skimming her forehead and his hands stroking up and down her back. Betty could feel each movement burn her skin, and she only craved more. Letting her head come to rest on his shoulder, Betty added softly: "I'll call every day, I promise, and I'm coming home for the 4th July weekend. We could escape to Sweetwater River for an early morning picnic if you want? It would just be you and me."

"You had me at 'we'," Jughead informed her, guiding her head up to look at him. His aquamarine gaze was hopeful and bright as if he was already lost in the idea of their little escape.

"Not at picnic? I'm surprised." Betty teased gently.

"Betts, you mean more to me than food does", Jughead said, his tone far more severe than Betty's, but by no means harsh. He tripped up as he spoke, the emotion all but choking him.

"You mean a lot to me too, Jug", Betty assured him, her hand coming to rest over his heart. 

Betty wasn't sure how long they stayed there, entwined in each other's arms, but she didn't care. She'd stay in Jughead's arms forever if it just meant that she could be with him, and Betty knew that he felt the same. Part of her wanted to break the silence, to speak up, but her voice remained stuck until Jughead finally asked: "so what are you most excited about?"

"Getting to be in complete control of what I wear and eat", Betty replied without hesitating, more than happy about being able to escape from under Alice Cooper's thumb for more than a day. Upon seeing the raised eyebrows her boyfriend sent her way, Betty quickly added: "That and all the literary experience I'll gain."

"But escaping Alice Cooper will be the best part?" Jughead asked, unsurprised in many ways, but Betty could see that he still wasn't all too sure on just why she wanted to escape so desperately.

"Of course, it is. She's getting worse each day." Betty said, sighing softly and moving to rest her head back on Jughead's shoulder, trying not to think about her mother.

Jughead clearly hadn't gotten the memo, and pressed on with his questions, asking her: "How?"

Running a hand over her soaked ponytail, Betty released her hair from its tight confines and ran her fingers through the knots and tangles, trying to relieve some stress. Pulling at one of the curls, Betty confessed: "she kicked Polly out of the house for dating Jason Blossom."

"Fucking hell." Jughead gasped, his eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. Shaking himself, he glanced down at Betty, and in a much lighter tone added: "I guess I won't be meeting your parents any time soon."

"Either they'll try and poison one of us against the other, or they'll kick me out too. Probably both." Betty shrugged, more than used to Alice and Hal Cooper's disapproval of everything she loved. At the thought, Betty pulled Jughead closer to her, a rush of fear cascading through her veins at the idea of her parents trying to make her choose between them and Jughead.

As if he sensed her thoughts, Jughead lifted her head up, his thumb running across her chin, tracing the line of it and soothing her. Their eyes met, fearful gazed upon determined, and Jughead assured Betty: "well if she ever does that, you can come and stay in my trailer."

"What about your dad?" Betty asked.

"He has a separate trailer; it just happens to be next door." Jughead countered. There was something in his voice that told Betty that he wasn't prepared to negotiate on this. To further solidify his point, he added: "I won't let you be homeless, Betts."

"Does he know about me?" Betty questioned, cocking her head to the side, unsure of what her answer would be. For so many things, Jughead was an open book. He refused to hide from her and was more than proud of who he was, but when it came to his family, Betty could never entirely break through his walls. Then again, sometimes she doubted that he could get through hers.

"He knows I'm seeing someone who's not from the South Side, but he doesn't know who you are precisely. He does know that you make me happy and he's happy for me." Jughead informed her, his eyes softening. The hand on her chin moved to caress her cheek, gliding over her skin and soothing any worries she had.

"I make you happy?" Betty asked, her gaze sparkling.

"The happiest I've been in years, Betts", Jughead whispered, sealing the statement with a tender kiss.

Winding her arms around him, Betty pulled him close, her mouth moving against his slowly, copying his movements and delighting in the quiet sounds she drew from him. It was truly perfect. In those few seconds, Betty swore she was flying, and nothing could hold her back.

_ 'It was perfect, those few blissful moments at the start of summer down at the Sweetwater Swimming Hole. The Serpent Prince and the Girl Next Door wrapped up in each other's arms, utterly ignorant of the world around us. We had our precious little bubble, and that was all we needed. It was all we craved and all we assumed we'd be - two kids lost in a bubble. At least that's what we hoped it would be. We should have been much more observant. We should have seen the five figures clad in leather jackets staring down at us in a mixture of shock and fury. We should have known that those blissful moments would turn into something far from perfect.' _


	2. Sad Summer Daze

_'Never give up on something that_

_you can't go a day without thinking about.'_

_'They say ignorance is bliss. In reality, you don't stay ignorant forever and the moment that you realise that you have been shielded from the truth the world can come shattering around you. Sometimes, the revelation is painless, and can be glossed over like finding out that Father Christmas isn't real; other times it feels like someone has hit you in the gut while wearing brass knuckles, both literally and figuratively. I've found that Serpents prefer to let you in on the secrets that you don't know about with their fists raised and gleaming brass knuckles. Especially when they tell you that they know that you're involved with a Northsider.'_

The sun had already begun to die by the time Jughead returned to the South Side. Even in the golden glow, the more impoverished region of Riverdale looked rundown, broken and abandoned. The air was thick with the smell of smoke, rot and the metallic scent of blood. That was far from out of the ordinary though. The streets were littered with people, most of them were high out of their minds or getting closer and closer to a state of pure intoxication from excessive alcohol intake. Most people would have turned their noses up at them, but as Jughead wove in and out of the streets leaving towards the Whyte Wyrm, Jughead couldn't help feel entirely at home.

Dusk had just begun to settle when Jughead finally pulled into the car park, the smile that had been on his lips since he'd escaped Riverdale High still present on his lips when pulled up. His heart felt light in his chest, and he was so blinded by the memory of Betty's skin against his own. Unclipping his helmet, he swept a hand through his hair and fixed his beanie back to his head, letting the familiar material surround his head.

Behind him, someone cleared their throat, loudly. Jughead's smile faded instantly, and he wheeled around, facing the person who had made the sound. His eyes met their twins, and all though FP's hair was greying, he still shared a startling resemblance to his son. Had FP not been staring into the depths of his soul, Jughead would have grinned at his father or at least clasped a hand over the back of his shoulder, but the look FP sent him stopped any thought of a pleasant greeting.

"Dad, what's going on?" Jughead asked, pulling his jacket from the bike and shrugging it on. His second skin felt uncomfortable in the summer heat, and he couldn't help but feel that perhaps some part of that discomfort was down to the look his father was giving him.

"Tall Boy found out about your rendezvous with Betty Cooper", FP stated, calmly. His voice was too calm for Jughead's liking, refusing to shake, a perfect mask of his true feelings. Only the slight twitch by his eye and the question that followed clued Jughead into the toxic swirl of emotions that P was feeling, primarily confusion, mild anger and hurt at not being told sooner. "The Cooper girl, seriously, Jug?"

"It wasn't intentional, Dad, it just happened." Jughead countered, unsure of how to explain the past six months of his life to his father. Opting out of that idea, he stated: "I like her, Dad, a lot, and you said you'd never judge me for who I date."

FP sighed heavily, his gaze sweeping over his son, exhaustion shimmering in his eyes. Wrapping an arm around Jughead's shoulders, FP pulled the younger man into his side, letting him know that he supported Jughead's decision before dropping his arm and speaking once more. This time, Jughead could see the exact point the older Jones man turned from his father to the King of the South Side Serpents. "Jug, she makes you happy, and I'm all for it, but the Serpents aren't. You may have to rerun the gauntlet."

"Fuck."

It had been almost three years since he'd been through the gauntlet, since his now closest friends had repeatedly hit him over and over with brass knuckles, and yet Jughead could still feel the pain. The sting from the punches, the severe gashes that hadn't healed for weeks and the patchwork of bruises that he'd never forget. The entire ordeal had been seared into his mind for years. Even the pain of his tattoo had been entirely dulled by the pain his gang had inflicted on him. He had sworn to himself that there was no way in Hell he would go through that again unless he had to, but to keep Betty safe, the younger Jones, found himself considering it.

"Well let's get this over with", FP said, pulling Jughead out of his thoughts and leading him into the Wyrm.

The Whyte Wyrm was hardly the most rundown place in Riverdale, but it certainly didn't sparkle like Pop's Chock' Lit Shoppe. Under FP's directions, when he'd first taken over the bar, the upholstery had been ripped out, replaced with emerald green leather while the light bulbs had the faintest green tint to them. Serpents covered the carpets, all writhing around one another while several live snakes dosed in their tanks, unbothered by their surroundings. Jughead had always suspected that if the lights were a little brighter and the walls weren't covered in the South Serpents' insignia, then more people would frequent the bar, instead of just his fellow Southsiders and the few Northsiders that wanted to prove something.

All around, Serpents watched, the older crew members gravitating from their places at the tables to flank FP, giving the three Serpents by the bar a wide berth. While Tall Boy, Mustang and Penny Peabody bathed in the dim light, the Juniors slithered around the shadows to stand by Jughead, forming well over a third of those in attendance. Jughead didn't need to turn to know that his cousin Sweet Pea and his best friend Toni had moved to stand by his right-hand side. He didn't need to look over to see Joaquin and Fangs mirroring their actions on the left. Without a single word, the Serpents chose their sides, a few lingering near the three in the centre, but more than half had surrounded FP at his usual table, folding their arms and staring, waiting for the confrontation.

The air buzzed and the room hummed. Despite not a single word being uttered, Jughead could practically hear the gang members thinking. Most of them were clueless to why they were here, but the ones in the know were smirking at Jughead. Tall Boy, in particular, looked more than pleased with himself, and Jughead knew that this was another bid to cause him pain. The older man clearly wasn't pleased with the Serpent Prince usurping the right-hand position from him. He should have seen this coming and silently kicked himself for not predicting this when he'd first gotten involved with Betty.

Rising from his place, FP's eyes danced over the crowd, resting on every single Serpent for at least a second before moving on to the next. His piercing gaze lingered on Jughead's face and Tall Boy's taut expression, a flicker of worry cascading through him before he stepped out of the shadows and into the light. With his back to the bare minimum of people, FP announced: "Right, Tall Boy has called this meeting because he has a problem with something, so we're going to hear him out and then take a vote."

Murmurs and whispers sprang up almost instantly. Eyes darted around, unsure of what to make of the news. Jughead could see a few people glancing in his direction, hoping that his face would give away some sort of detail, but they were sorely disappointed with the result. The Serpent Prince had long ago learned how to school his features, and by the time FP raised his voice again, no one was any the wiser. The KIng commanded everyone's attention and all but yelled: "Now before he starts, what are our laws?"

“A Serpent never shows cowardice.”

Jughead bristled at the sound of the first law leaving his lips, more than aware of how it could be used against him. Opposite him, Tall Boy smirked and the Jones boy found himself straightening up, his eyes darkening and his hands forming fists at his sides. Fury coursed through him, and the older man was more than aware of that.

“A Serpent never stands alone.”

Toni and Sweet Pea edged closer to their leader at that. The rustle of their jacket echoed through Jughead’s ears, somehow louder than the shouting. The sound was comforting, a promise to never abandon his side and within seconds of the first two stepping forward, Fangs and Joaquin copied their actions.

“If a Serpent is killed or imprisoned, their family is taken care of.”

There wasn’t a Serpent in the room that hadn’t felt the effects of that law. Even Jughead had been grateful for it after FP’s three-month stint behind bars when he was twelve. The older Serpents, those with partners, ran their hands over their wedding rings or clutched their hands over their hearts.

“No Serpent is left for dead.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Jughead caught Sweet Pea rubbing the small scar to his side, an ever-present reminder. For a few seconds, Jughead could feel the sticky rich red blood that had stuck to him and the sounds of Sweet Pea’s failing breaths filled his ears. The taller boy moved closer to Jughead, nodding at the smaller of the two, his eyes full of respect and the Serpent Prince returned the sentiment, knowing that one day it would be Sweet Pea saving his life, not the other way around.

“ A Serpent never betrays his own.”

Casting his eyes across the room, Jughead watched a slow, self-satisfied smirk crawl across Tall Boy’s lips when the older man had bellowed the fifth law. He dared the boy to look away, but much to his annoyance, Jughead held his ground, refusing to look away, his voice much louder and clearer than his rival’s had been.

“In unity, there is strength.”

The last law faded from everyone’s lips, reverberating around the room and filling their souls. Looks were shared between those keen-eyed Serpents who noted that the group was divided. FP may have had the most support, but there was no doubt in anyone’s minds that the Juniors were loyal to Jughead first and foremost. Tall Boy had a handful of loyalists but none were as passionate as Jughead’s crew, and everyone knew it.

Ignoring the glares and confused looks, Tall Boy stepped into the light that FP had vacated and stopped a few centimetres in front of Jughead. His words may have been for the Prince, but the whole gang heard them loud and clear. Watery green eyes met dark aqua and with a smirk, Tall Boy stated: “I’ve got to say I was surprised that you, Forsythe Pendleton Jones the Third, know our laws considering how you seem to be so intent on breaking them without any regard of what it will do to the rest of us here.”

There was silence, and then the buzzing started. Some arched their eyebrows and shook their heads, certain that Tall Boy was just exaggerating again; others looked at Jughead with growing suspicion and mistrust. The boy in question, ignored all the attention, staring at Tall Boy and quirking an eyebrow upwards. Keeping his voice level and low, Jughead asked: “How so?”

“A Serpent never betrays his own, sound familiar?” Tall Boy countered, his ever-present scowl etching itself deeper into his skin, growing more pronounced with each second Jughead continued to defy him. 

“And how have I broken that rule, Tall Boy, in your opinion?” Jughead pressed, his eyes narrowing in challenge. 

The room froze. Most had heard Jughead’s voice when he was angry, but this was different and he knew that they knew it. Richer, smoother, more confident and far more venomous, Jughead’s challenge hung in the air. _Prove to them that I’m a traitor, I dare you._ The unspoken words hung between the two opposing forces, and even Tall Boy found himself glancing behind his shoulder to make sure that his support was still there before he faced Jughead once more.

“Enough of the snark, boy.” Tall Boy spat.

“Remember who you’re talking to, Tall Boy,” FP growled from the shadows.

“Of course, how could I forget that I am talking to our leader's son?” Tall Boy smirked, his words laced with hatred, fury and mistrust. Taking several steps forward, Tall Boy was all but nose to nose with Jughead when he ground out: “The Serpent Prince, Jughead Jones.” Not looking away, he turned his head ever so slightly to spit on the ground at Jughead’s feet and snarled: “The Serpent Prince who has taken it upon himself to engage with a Northsider, and not only engage with one, he has been meeting her in secret and sharing details.”

Eyes widened and hearts hammered. The room went still to the point where barely a breath was drawn and everyone watched the gleam in Jughead’s eyes darken. Matching Tall Boy’s previous actions, Jughead stepped forward, forcing the other man to retreat. In the light, Jughead’s crown glinted and his eyes sparkled dangerously. The young man was everything his accuser wasn’t and all of them could see it. Grateful for the silence, Jughead hissed: “And pray tell, what details do you think I have shared? And go ahead. Say her name, we all know you’re dying to.”

“I guess this is a case of like father like son, considering our young Mr Jones is entangled with Betty Cooper.” Tall Boy announced, facing the crowd, his arms open wide. 

And there it was, that name: Cooper.

There wasn’t a soul on the South Side who hadn’t heard of that name. They all knew of Hal Cooper, the owner of the _Riverdale Register_ who approved every scornful article written about them. They had all heard of Polly and Betty Cooper, the ‘perfect’ North Side Princesses, who were the cardboard cutouts of what a Northsider should be like. And finally, Alice Cooper nee Smith, the she-devil, the villain, the turncoat. They’d all met FP Jones’ first Queen and they had watched as she had systematically dismantled everything that they had ever stood for. It was safe to say that no Serpent would ever truly be supportive of a Cooper woman with a Jones man unless she was the opposite of Alice.

Which Betty was.

Not that they knew that.

Feeding off of the crowd’s rage, Tall Boy turned back to Jughead and started to speak once more. “And I bet to get your little prick stroked you’d tell that slut -”

“Call her that again Tall Boy and perhaps I will slip information to the Coopers about your nefarious dealings.” Jughead hissed, his voice low and dripping with warning. There wasn’t a single Serpent who didn’t back up at the sound. One last hate-filled glance was cast in Tall Boy’s direction before Jughead turned to the crowd, straightening up. The young man held his head up high and looked over everyone’s faces and calmly informed them: “Yes, I am romantically involved with Betty Cooper, I have been since March, but not once have I told her anything about any sort of Serpent Business. I know our rules, and Hell, I ran the gauntlet when I wad fucking fourteen. I’d rather die than betray you all. If any of you think I’m not fit to be here, please raise your hand.”

No one moved.

Not even Tall Boy.

Most of the room refused to meet Jughead’s gaze, ashamed that the Prince had been forced to ask them that. Even his most loyal friends looked away, the gravity of the moment hitting them all. Jughead might have been keeping things from them, but he was, as he’d always been, their next leader. There wasn’t a soul in the room that didn’t believe him to be a worthy successor, and none of them was prepared to kick him out, especially not now.

“All in favour of Jughead running the gauntlet?” FP called from the shadows, rising to his feet and half-stepping into the light so that one half of his face was still cast in shadow. His eyes swept over the crowd, taking in the five hands raised in the air, and the fifty hands that remained firmly by their owners’ sides. A smirk flashed across his face for less than a second before his face grew impartial again and he stated: “Very well, Jughead won’t run the gauntlet for a second time.”

Relief cascaded through Jughead’s entire being and he couldn’t help but let his shoulders fall, the tension running out of his body at the news. Part of him wanted to turn away and celebrate, but one look at Tall Boy told him that he wouldn’t have that luxury just yet. As always, Tall Boy proved him right.

“He needs to be punished for lying to us for months.” Tall Boy yelled, not quite ready to let jughead off the hook just yet. Turning to FP, he added in a venomous undertone: “And we need to decide if he can stay with the Cooper girl.”

Jughead froze, his blood turning to ice. Balling his fists up, the Serpent Prince turned to face Tall Boy, his eyes narrowed and his heart pounding. Straightening his back, Jughead found himself stating: “Fine. Pick someone to fight me and then pick his second. Sweet Pea is mine.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Jughead watched his father tense up behind him but chose not to focus on it, his eyes focused on Tall Boy. His rival was seething, furious that Jughead had taken away his chance to name Jughead’s punishment, though Jughead was certain that either way he was going to end up bloody and bruised no matter who had spoken. Tall Boy scowled at the Jones boy for a long moment before his eyes darted around the room. It was no surprise to anyone when the ageing Serpent called out: “Stinger will fight you and Viper’s his second.”

“So be it.”

Around them, Serpents sent FP concerned looks, but the King’s mask was once more in place. Nodding at Jughead, FP led the march to the back stairs and descended downwards. Jughead didn’t hesitate to follow him, the Juniors on his tail, their boots thudding down the stone steps, heading into the dark cramped basement. Golden yellow lights flickered and buzzed around them, illuminating the ring in the centre.

Gazing at the fading mats on the floor, Jughead could see the hint of bloodstains and clenched his jaw, well aware of how this would go down. Much like Stinger opposite him, Jughead began to shed his skin and peeled off the blood-red ‘S’ t-shirt. Unlike his opponent, Jughead’s skin itself was hardly scarred, only marked by a few tiny pinched lines from the gauntlet and the deep green snake on his right shoulder. The snake rippled across his skin, moving and writhing as Jughead swept his right hand up, removing his crown and handing it to Sweet Pea. Dark locks spilt out everywhere and in the light, Jughead’s eyes matched the inky colour of his hair.

With one last glance his father’s way, Jughead slipped into the ring opposite Stinger. The other man was much bulkier than Jughead, but one look in his eyes told the younger man that Stinger didn’t have a fraction of the intelligence that Jughead did. The Prince also noted that Stinger was leaning heavily on his right side, unable to put too much pressure on his left.

From his place outside the ring, FP spoke, his voice reverberating around the room. “Last man standing wins. If Jughead wins, he gets to remain in a relationship with Betty Cooper. If Stinger wins, he has to break up with her.” He paused for a second, his eyes lingering on his son and added: “And all of us will accept the outcome.”

With one last nod, the fight began.

Darting out with unfathomable speed, Stinger’s brass-knuckled fist collided with Jughead’s cheek. Pain tore through him. Blood dripped from both his mouth and cheek, clearing his senses instantly as his opponent cackled. The Prince had barely managed to right himself before the torrent of punches Stinger had been holding back where unleashed. Clenching his jaw, Jughead watched deflecting those he could and grimacing through the pain. He’d seen Stinger fight enough times to know that if he just got through this, he could win. And then, Stinger left himself open. The final punch in the reign of fury sored towards Jughead, and that was when he struck.

Striking as fast as a viper, Jughead’s fist first collided with Stinger’s bicep, stopping the older man in his tracks within an instant. A low groan left Stinger’s lips, but before he could overcome the pain, the heel of Jughead’s hand slammed into the joint of his shoulder, sending the older man flying backwards. Pain morphed into fury. The raven-haired teen just managed to duck out of the way of Stinger’s first punch, but his knee couldn’t be avoided and collided into Jughead’s side. Staggering backwards, Jughead’s chest heaved up and down, his eyes narrowing and his resolve strengthening. 

The crowd felt the shift.

Blocking out all of his surroundings, Jughead lunged, his fists fast and furious, flying at his target. The teen struck Stinger’s gut, chest and face as well as everything in between. The speed of his attack startled the older man, freezing him in his tracks. Each grunt of pain echoed through the room and eventually, Stinger snapped out of it, lashing out at Jughead, his right arm flying. But the Prince had expected that. Jughead grabbed Stinger’s arm, pulling and twisting it.

A roar tore itself from Stinger’s lips when Jughead finally released his arm. It hung limply by the man’s side, bruised and battered. Like a bull that had seen a red rag, Stinger charged, his left hand flying at Jughead, but the younger man was faster. Dodging the wild punches, Jughead’s hand once more slammed into the man’s shoulder, eliciting a long howl from Stinger and distracting him long enough for the boy’s fist to collide with the man’s face. Stinger crumpled. His legs gave and he fell at Jughead’s feet.

Silence. Jughead’s mouth dropped open and he took several deep breaths, needing air to once more circulate his lungs. His body burned and he wanted to collapse, but one look at Stinger steadied his thoughts. Straightening up, the dark-haired boy looked around, a venomous grin on his lips. His dark gaze found Tall Boy, and rush pride flooded Jughead’s body at the scowl on the old man’s face.

He’d won.

And Tall Boy couldn’t change that now.

“Jughead wins!” FP roared, relief and pride lacing his tone. A nod of approval was sent Jughead’s way and the Prince clambered out of the ring over to his father, who grasped Jughead’s arm and lifted it up in the air. A crescendo of cheers followed the action, all but deafening him. By far Sweet Pea and Toni were cheering the loudest with Fangs and Joaquin clapping loudly and whistling. 

FP leaned down dropping his son’s wrist and whispered: “Go be with your girl, I’ll handle the older Serpents.”

Grinning up at his father, Jughead stepped forward, ignoring the pain and yelled: “Juniors!” Thirty heads turned towards him, all still cheering and celebrating. Each member beamed over at Jughead and still overwhelmed with joy and relief, he beamed back, calling: “Follow me.”

No one hesitated. Flanked by his three closest friends, they headed up the stairs with ease, their boots thudding and their laughter ringing. Just as they reached the main room, Jughead felt someone clasp his shoulder and heard Sweet Pea say: “That was sick, Jones.”

“Any reason to stick it to Tall Boy, right?” Jughead smirked, watching his cousin nod in agreement.

“She must be a lucky lady if you’re willing to do that for her.” Joaquin hollered over the noise, his dark eyes boring into Jughead, silently urging him to go and be with his girl.

“We gotta meet her at some point Jones.” Fangs butted in, stopping Jughead from leaving too quickly. The youngest of the group still had a hint of nerves in his gaze, but he shrugged them aside and mirrored Jughead’s relieved smile. 

“Don’t fuck it up, Jughead,” Toni said, punching Jughead’s shoulder lightly. The Prince rolled his eyes at her actions and shook his head, unable to shake the goofy look from his face at the thoughts of Betty that were now flooding his mind.

“Thanks, guys, and I won’t, Toni,” Jughead said, managing to push through the crowd to the door. All the juniors stared at him, cocking their heads to the side and waiting for him to speak. With a smirk, he added: “Don’t wait up for me. I won’t be back until morning.”

And with that, he was gone.

_‘In some ways, maybe ignorance is bliss. Being able to continue with something without knowing the scorn of others can sometimes be the best thing but I have found that knowing the truth is always preferable to not knowing. Bliss is not a state you can comfortably live your life in, nor is it one I’d recommend. At the end of the day, the only person you are keeping in the dark is you, and one day that bliss you so crave will be shattered in an instant.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed and feel free to tell me what you think. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFLfQKgS_Hk


	3. Serendipity And Summer Showers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As midnight nears, Betty finds herself still waiting on Jughead's arrival. Each second drives her insane until finally she hears a soft tapping at the window. She comes to realise that the wait would not be the worst thing to happen to either of them tonight.

_‘I don’t want to be the other half of your soul._

_I want to be the one that reminds you that you are already whole.’_

_‘Some people come into your life when you’re unmoored and keep you from reaching shore, preventing you from reaching safety or a place you can rest. Others come into your life at the same point, and become your anchor during the storm, keeping you grounded. We desperately search for the latter, hoping never to become the former to someone else, and when we find them, we are determined to never let them go. In all my life, only one person has been such an anchor, our ‘perfect’ Girl Next Door, Betty Cooper.’_

Betty couldn’t sleep. Her bed, despite the stick heat, felt cold and empty. She missed Jughead’s presence beside her. Even when she wrapped her arms around the pillow beside her, the smell of leather and ink only served to further the sinking feeling in her stomach. Shivering, she edged closer to the pillow, inhaling what little smell was left there from the last time Jughead had curled up next to her. Part of her wanted to check her phone, it craved to text him, to ask where he was; the other couldn’t bear the idea of being that needy. So, Betty just curled up, further into herself, hoping there’d be a tap on the window.

There was no telling how long she lay there, constantly on the edge of unconsciousness, only to be pulled out by the slightest of sounds. A car door slamming in the next street over or the low rumble of a motorbike darting between the streets, all kept her from sleeping. As midnight grew closer, it was the sound of heavy footsteps thudding up something metallic that stopped her this time. Rolling over, Betty was tempted to throw a pillow over her head to muffle the sound, but it was soon replaced by something she’d been craving all evening.

Tap. Tap.

Shooting upwards, Betty almost snapped her neck, turning to look at her window and she smiled. Clad only in the red t-shirt he’d been wearing when he’d dropped her off earlier, Jughead leaned against her window, begging to come inside. Without waiting for another second, Betty threw her quilt off of her and clambered out of bed. Every footstep sent the floorboards creaking, but she didn’t care and only focused on lifting the window up for Jughead.

“Hey there, Juliet. Can I come in?” Jughead asked, smiling, his face shrouded in shadows. 

Betty moved aside, watching him duck under the window with a soft his before he straightened up in front of her. Her mouth opened to ask him if he was alright, but before she could, both of his hands flew to her face. The magnetism between their lips pulled her in and the second his mouth brushed against hers, Betty’s mind went blank. All she could feel was the gentle, tender movements of his lips on hers. Mirroring his hands’ actions, her own swept up, brushing over and under his arms to cup his face, pulling him closer. Jughead smiled against her lips, letting his right hand snake its way down to the small of her back, holding her to his lithe body and refusing to let her go.

Neither was sure who pulled away first, but the second their lips were parted, Jughead whispered: “God, I’ve missed you.”

Smiling up at him, Betty’s eyes swept over his face. Her heart stopped and her smile fell instantly. His beautiful face was covered in bruises. His left eye looked to be swelling and there was a deep gash, which was still bleeding, on his right cheek. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen him battered and bruised, but considering how five hours ago he’d been unblemished, Betty couldn’t help but stare up at him, her heart breaking. Her fingers gently ghosted over the injuries, tender and gentle. Wide eyes stared up at Jughead’s and in a tiny voice, Betty asked: “Juggie, what happened?”

“Had to prove something to the Serpents. I’m fine.” Jughead shrugged, brushing it aside. Watching the wave of disbelief cascade over Betty’s features, he added in a low voice: “Trust me, if I had lost I wouldn’t be here.”

“What does that mean?” Betty asked, her eyes wide and her heart pounding. 

The Serpent shook his head, breaking their embrace and moving away. Each movement hurt, even in the low light, Betty could see that. He winced with every step, and despite the colour of his shirt, the bloodstains were evident, especially considering some were still pooling with blood. Bruises were blossoming on his arms, and Betty knew that the worst of it was hidden beneath his shirt. Sitting down took as much out of him as standing had. Betty never wanted to see Jughead grimace like that, and beneath her chest, her heart shattered into a million pieces.

Stepping in between his legs, Betty tentatively cupped his cheeks, gentle fingers running over the cut on his cheek and the bruises surrounding it. Meeting his dark gaze in the dim light, Betty whispered: “Please, Jughead, tell me.”

Jughead sagged against her, leaning into her embrace and looking up, his aqua eyes unable to stop memorising every last detail of Betty’s face. A soft sigh, he closed his eyes and answered: “Tall Boy, one of the older Serpents and not my biggest fan, found out about us. He wasn’t happy about it.”

“So he beat you up?” Betty asked, her eyes wide.

“No, that was kind of my fault,” Jughead mumbled, shaking his head.

Pulling away slightly, Betty looked down at him, unsure if she had heard him right and in a timid whisper, she asked: “Jughead?”

“They wanted to ensure that my loyalty was to the Serpents first and foremost… and not to you,” Jughead informed her, never looking away from her glassy eyes. Reaching up with his right hand, he enclosed hers with his, squeezing it gently and stated: “Tall Boy couldn’t get the rest of the Serpents to get me to run the gauntlet again, but I did have to fight his son, Stinger, to prove my loyalty and to stay with you. I did lie to them for months and well, if Dad didn’t have me punished it would look bad for both of us.”

“You got beaten up so that you can stay with me?” Betty asked, incredulous.

Over the past three months, Jughead had filled her in on snippets of the Serpent Life. He’d offered her small details and had stretched the line that he wasn’t meant to cross just to give her a little more. Betty had patched him up from time to time but had merely been offered the vague story or told that Jughead couldn’t disobey the laws by telling her. Despite that, she had never seen him battered and bloody from a fight with his fellow Serpents and she was beginning to grow sick of being kept in the dark by her boyfriend, even if it wasn’t entirely his fault.

“I wish the Serpents weren’t like this and most aren’t, just a select few, but they’re elders so people listen to them. Especially Tall Boy, Penny Peabody and Mustang.” Jughead whispered, wincing and repositioning himself on the bed. His grip tightened on Betty’s hand for a fraction of a second before he was one leant against her and sighed softly.

“And they are against us?” Betty asked, her voice shaking.

“Yes.” 

The word hung between them, filling the small room and echoing through Betty’s mind. In hindsight, perhaps she should have realised this would happen. It wasn’t as if they’d find much support for their relationship on the North Side, so why should the South Side be any different? Betty chastised herself for her delusional thinking and resigned herself to the idea that until one of them truly became either a Northsider or Sotuhsider, the vast majority of people would be against them. All she could do now was pray that the North Side never found out.

“But they can’t do anything about it now,” Jughead said, pulling Betty out of her thought and dropping her hand to snake both his arms around her waist and pulled her into his arms. He pressed his lips against her temple, murmuring: “I’m okay, Betts, I promise.” A soft sob left Betty’s lips and waves of conflicting emotions rushed through her body. She shook against Jughead, able to control the new wave of feeling, but he took it in his stride, placing more kisses against her temple and whispering: “We’re okay.”

“Promise?” Betty asked into his shoulder, barely audible.

“I promise.” Jughead nodded.

Bringing her head out of his shoulder, Betty was met by an unwavering gaze, and she couldn’t help but be pulled in by it. Jughead leaned up to meet her halfway, his lips finding hers in the darkness. The kiss was a mixture of salty tears, tender movements and emotions that couldn’t be uttered out loud. The coppery taste of blood filled Betty’s mouth when Jughead’s split lip opened up, but neither cared about that. In those few moments, all they needed was to feel the other’s lips against theirs, and that was it.

A wince pulled them apart. Jughead’s bottom lip was saturated with blood, and no matter how he tried to disguise it, he was in agony. Betty wasn’t about to let him suffer any further and reluctantly pulled away from him. Smiling softly, Betty said: “I’m going to clean you up.”

Jughead nodded glumly, letting Betty leave his grasp, his fingertips trailing over her hips until finally falling limp by his side. He pouted at her, less than pleased to be separated, not even for the short trip over to Betty’s vanity where she’d started to store extra medical supplies for him. He only stopped sulking when Betty returned to his side, first aid kit in hand. Betty smiled down at him, biting her lip and blushing, mumbling: “I’m going to need you to take your top off.”

“Any excuse to get me shirtless,” Jughead smirked and winked.

“Shut up, Jug.” 

Betty had assumed that the worst injuries had been to his face but as Jughead struggled with his shirt, there was no doubt in her mind that she was yet to see the bloodiest cuts and darkest bruises. With a low groan of pain, Jughead fought to claw his shirt off, but the blood on his taut stomach kept it stuck to him. Dark cerulean eyes met jade and silently pleaded for help. Instantly, Betty began to peel off his shirt and threw it aside. Her hand shot out to turn her bedside lamp on before she looked back at her boyfriend.

Betty wished she’d never looked.

The lines of his muscles were distorted and misshapen by bruises. His pale skin had been stained black, blue and purple with splashes of red in the centre. Without asking, Betty knew that Jughead’s opponent had worn brass knuckles. The worst bruises were to his left side, around his ribs. The cuts weren’t as deep as Betty had originally thought, but they were in desperate need of cleaning. Betty wanted to chastise Jughead for not tending to his injuries first before coming to see her but her scolds lodged themselves in her throat and all she could choke out was: “Jesus Christ, Juggie.”

“Betts, I’m okay,” Jughead assured her, not missing a beat.

“None of this is okay.” Betty countered, grabbing an antiseptic wipe and starting to mop up the dried blood. 

Each little swipe of her hand left Jughead wincing or groaning, but he stayed still, for the most part, letting her work. Wipe after wipe was discarded until there was a small pile forming on Betty’s bedside table. She didn’t speak, her tongue was caught between her teeth, and in the orange light, she strained to see, first to clean and then to apply cool medical cream. Hisses left Jughead’s parted lips, and Betty knew all too well that it burned, but she carried on regardless. Each wound found itself soon being covered by large plasters secured by medical tape before aloe vera cream was smeared over his bruises. The silence was filled only by the sound of Betty fighting with the first aid kit and Jughead’s soft noises of pain until Betty eventually pulled away, satisfied with her work. 

Her jade eyes scanned over Jughead’s lean torso once more and a torrent of anger swept through Betty. Furious, Betty exclaimed: “God, I want to punch the person who did this to you.”

Jughead’s eyes widened for a second before returning to their normal size. Staring at her, Jughead said coolly: “If you do, aim for his right shoulder, I think I dislocated it.”

“What the hell, Juggie?!”

“You know my life is hardly sanitary or passive.” Jughead reminded her, grimacing. They both knew he was right, not that either would readily admit it to themselves. Betty instinctively took a step back but found her wrist was soon enclosed by Jughead’s hand, pulling her back to him. Looking up at her, his eyes sincere, Jughead said: “I haven’t fought anywhere near as often as I used to since I met you, and I am trying to stay out of them, I promise.”

Sighing, Betty gently brushed away several stray raven curls from Jughead’s eyes, tucking them behind his ear. Her fingers trailed over the smooth, uninjured side of Jughead’s face and tender smile instinctively finding its way on her lips. Looking back at his eyes, Betty cupped Jughead’s cheek and whispered: “Just promise that you’ll try to be safe.”

“I promise, you’re going to lose me that easily, Cooper,” Jughead swore, placing a hand over Betty’s heart. Beneath her chest, Betty’s heart stopped before beginning to flutter much faster than she thought possible. She mirrored Jughead’s action, guiding her free hand to rest over the warm skin above his heart and smiled softly.

Jughead’s hand fist around Betty’s t-shirt, pulling it lightly and bringing him towards her. Betty stumbled back between his legs properly and her lips found themselves quickly claimed by Jughead’s mouth. Relaxing into the kiss, Betty let her hands move to cup both of Jughead’s cheeks and leant against his wiry frame.

A soft hiss pulled them apart instantly. Staggering backwards, Betty’s hands flew to her mouth, her eyes widening and her heart pounding. Staring at him, she couldn’t fight back the rising guilt and just about managed to squeak: “Oh, shit, I’m so sorry, Juggie.”

“I think that’s the first time I’ve heard you swear.” Jughead mused, grinning. When the smile was not returned, his features grew more serious and he softly said: “Don’t worry about it, Betts, I’m okay.” Reaching out for her, Jughead brought Betty back to his side and lifted his right hand up to push a golden lock of hair behind her ear. Staring up at her transfixed, Jughead confessed: “Nothing on this Earth could take me away from you, Betty Cooper.”

There was no power on Earth that could stop the blush and tiny smile that etched their way onto Betty’s face. All she wanted to do was to leap into Jughead’s arms and collapse into him. Sweeping her gaze over him once more, Betty’s smile faded, and tears pricked in her eyes. A quiet sob left her lips as she said: “I just hate seeing you hurt.”

By her side, her free clenched, balling into a fist. The knuckles turned snow-white, and even in the dim light, Jughead could see the usually hidden action. His eyebrow quirked upwards and his eyes never left her hand, unsure of what was happening. Betty’s eyes glazed over for a second, the pain coursing through her, grounding her to reality. Her fist shook, and the rip of her nails tearing into the soft flesh filled her mind.

Everything went blank. For a brief moment, Betty’s mind stilled and everything slowed down to a stop. All she could feel was pain, and even the pressure of Jughead holding her other hand was nothing but a distant memory. The numbness wrapped around her like an old friend, hugging her tightly and keeping her bound to it. At that moment, she felt at peace, her warring emotions stopped fighting and she could take a deep breath. She felt unmoored. Her anchor was far away, and Betty couldn’t locate him through the fog of her mind.

“Betts?”

Jughead’s voice sounded a million miles away, but the second he spoke the spell around her shattered, the pieces scattering around her. Fearful cerulean eyes stared up at Betty, unsure of what he had just witnessed and it took all of Betty’s willpower not to pull away. Jughead’s free hand reached for Betty’s, his rings were cool against her heated skin and tenderly, he brought her hand towards him.

“Don’t, Jug, please,” Betty whispered, but Jughead appeared not to hear her.

Delicate fingers prised open her fist gently, dislodging her nails from their place in her palm and displaying her say for Jughead to see. Automatically he brought her other hand closer to his body and opened it too, finding the same destruction there. Littered across her skin, crescent scars stared up at Jughead, mocking him for not being able to help and reminding Betty of her own weakness. Her left palm was all scarred over with only one set of fresh scars, which had begun to scab over by now, but the right was dripping with blood.

Betty turned away, unable to look any longer. Tears burned her eyes and there was nothing she could do to stop Jughead from staring down at her hands with that look of despair in his eyes. Betty never wanted to see her boyfriend look that sorrowful again and the thought that she had caused it tore through her. It burned through her body and forced her to let out several soft sobs.

“Oh, Betty,” Jughead whispered.

Unable to stop herself, Betty turned back to him, only to be greeted by the sight of tears sparkling in Jughead’s eyes. Her heart shattered at the sight and it took all of her self control not to pull away and hide from him. Instead, she stayed there watching him cautiously, unsure of what to do or what he was thinking when he began to lift her hands upwards. Staring at him, Betty whispered: “Juggie?”

Gentle, tender and tentative lips touched both palms, kissing the scars. First, he soothed her left hand, and then he turned to the right, taking away her shame. Jughead glanced up at Betty, his eyes wide, a single tear escaping them, and he folded her hands together in his. Keeping his gaze on Betty’s, Jughead brought their hands to his lips and kissed Betty’s softly. Nothing could stop the sob that left Betty at the feeling of his lingering touch.

Pulling away, Jughead kicked off his boots and rearranged himself on top of her bed before holding his arms out for Betty to join him. A quiet voice broke the silence and almost pleading with his eyes, he said: “Come here.”

As if pulled by strings, Betty found herself nestling into Jughead’s side, mindful of his bruises. Her head came to rest on his shoulder while her arms looped around him, keeping him close to her. Jughead’s hands ran over Betty’s skin, careful ministrations, calming her down. Both clung to one another, needing their partner more than they dared to admit. Betty closed her eyes, letting Jughead rain kisses across her forehead, holding her to him and silently promising to never let go of her. And that was how remained, tightly entwined with each other, letting the darkness surround them and for sleep to settle over them.

_ ‘Sometimes you come into someone’s life thinking they’re well put together and more than capable to be your anchor until one day they reveal that in fact, they are crumbling at the seams and desperately need you to anchor them to reality too. All my life, people had been inflicting pain on, so much so I had never really thought of causing myself pain. Not until that night had I really thought of it, not until I saw my Betty’s hands, covered in scars and bloody from the stress I’d caused her. It was only then that I realised that perhaps the same person who grounds you can be grounded by you, and I intended to be there to keep her from harm; self-inflicted or otherwise.’ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter took a little longer to write despite being a bit shorter than normal. I will try and keep on track with the next one. I hope you enjoyed reading and feel free to let me know what you think.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. If you are wondering what the inspiration for the titles where it was this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFLfQKgS_Hk


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